Although Utah's population is the youngest in the nation, Utah lacks Gen-Z and Millennial representation and participation in government.

The Emerging Leaders Initiative (ELI) of Utah aims to elevate the voice and impact of young voters in their local, state and national governments.

 

Why are Young Leaders Important?

Millennials are the largest-ever generation. Combined with Gen-Z, Millennials the group makes up the largest voting block in the State of Utah. Unfortunately, only 11 percent of Utahns ages 18-35 voted in 2012, far below the 30 percent of our peers that voted nationwide in 2012. Additionally, less than 2 percent of federal-level elected officials are millennials. Extremely low voter participation and underwhelming public service is crippling our ability to contribute to the greater community both civically and politically.

 

The Mission of ELI

The Emerging Leaders Initiative is built on the principle that effectively mentoring current and future generations of “emerging leaders” can improve Utah's communities and quality of life. By creating a space for collaborative mentorship and communication between current and emerging leaders, ELI seeks to empower the young leaders, shakers and doers ages 18-35ish to join in policy discussions and help shape Utah's political, cultural, and economic future.

 

Our goal is to increase participation of our generation and future generations in the policy debates of our time. We need younger voices to speak up, to vote, to run for office, and to engage their government. With the involvement of bright and innovative minds in our generation, government decisions will be more deliberative and meaningful.